An Act to Follow
by Surely Blue
Summary: As steps lengthend and floorboards execrably filtered into pavement... heart pounding harder and harder… Kamui could only wonder… Kamui x Subaru / Manga-Centric / Between Volumes 1-18 / First Fan-Fic / Con-Crit Welcome


_**Modified**:_ _(Pacific Standard Time Zone) 1:08 P.M. of 05-26-2012_

_**Disclaimer**: I in no way or form own this property._

_**Motivation**: North American X/1999 Manga_

_**Flames**: Will be overlooked. The **Warnings **are clearly stated. Remember, if you don't like what you read, ask yourself why you are reading it in the first place._

_**Advance Thank You(s)**: PM/Anonymous/Critically Constructive Reviews are welcome. Leave a detailed/brief review or PM if you have the time. Even an effortless "I like it." or XD or ^_^ or "Blank was slightly off..." will suffice. Feel free to pick this chapter apart. Were the characters OOC? Are there any spelling mishaps? Does the plot have the correct flow? Ask yourself these questions and more! I've never written much outside of the mandatory school requirements, so I'd like to know how I'm doing. Tell your friends about this story if you enjoy it. I wish to harvest as many reviews, alerts, and favorites as possible._

* * *

**An Act to Follow**

Leaning back against the steely undecorated fence, Kamui could feel the numerous bushes that were unwontedly brushing up against his back; poking through the fine cloth of his school uniform with a persistent ease. The teenager could hardly be bothered with such annoyances right now; eyes alerted too and firmly fixated on the flood of people streaming onto sidewalks and into nearby buildings. He could not muster up the forte to move elsewhere.

But... he didn't show.

He could feel it though, another - brushing up against that sixth-sense now ingrained into his psyche.

Adroitly, coming, searching for him.

_Why? _

_Why had he done it?_

Angling his head back, fresh sunlight sliced across his face for the second time that late afternoon; drying the light sheen covering his hair, face, uniform - drying it all. He's grateful for the spontaneity spring showers bring with them in this moment; no one can see the too large blotches which littered the front of his school-issued uniform or question the melancholy streaks which had preceded such a result.

_Tap, tap, tap._

He knows it is one of the others - Yuzuriha, Sorata, Karen - instead.

For now, he hopes they can lure him away from it all.

_Tap, tap, tap._

The rhythmic thumping of two modest soles fill his ears.

Watchful eyes open, land upon the petite, smiling frame of Yuzuriha Nekoi.

Coming ever closer...

Is he sure? Convinced? Secure?

**Will it have just been his mistake to make?**

* * *

It had seemed such a trivial thing at that moment.

But he is failing English - _**still**_.

Sighing, Kamui had closed the course which had laid in front of him for the better part of the hour. Intricate symbols and the slew of complex questions which steadily followed refused to morph into something legible, something with familiarity.

In the past, he had missed a few days of school here and there - showing up to class on time had not exactly been at the forefront of his mind, but progress had been made recently. The new routine - Yuzuriha's daily persistence had no doubt helped out with that... even if the same could not be said of Sorata's actions... The priest's eagerness to gift Kamui with his so-called "expertise" came with a price.

Receiving 46 points less than the optimal score of 100 was not something to be especially proud of and his present teacher wanted to make sure he, along with his fellow classmates, was aware of that cold, hard fact. Earthquakes be damned.

So, much to his dismay and embarrassment, Kamui had found himself at the center of attention more often than he liked. Losing count of how many times his face was flooded with a blush whenever those many pair of eyes landed upon him, the dark-haired teenager gathered his school materials and padded down the length of the staircase.

The residence was basically empty that afternoon and silence eagerly greeted his senses as the footfalls of his shoes echoed off the steps.

Completing the descent, Kamui surveyed the lower-level rooms.

_Subaru Sumeragi._

The view of the other was crystal-clear from here.

He rested on the small patio of theirs, attention sharply focused on the two birds which chirped overhead, the long, misty clouds which drifted slowly by, or perhaps nothing in particular. Whichever it was, the 13th Head of the Sumeragi Clan appeared content and Kamui felt that brief feeling of shy happiness fill him - stop him in his tracks.

He felt vaguely afraid without knowing why.

The simple scene, it was as if it had been... struggling... to tell him something more... reveal and give strength to _something_ he'd consistently fought back...

But a differing response occured, a small confused part of him cropped up, wholly engulfing the previous thought when he noticed the onmyōji had been staring at him. Feeling embarrassed, Kamui swiftly looked away.

It had become a habit of his, a frequent one. The more time they spent together the worse it seemed to have become. But, he refused to dwell on such feelings now - refused to hesitate, give into the resistance which plagued his nights. Pushing the bothersome thoughts away, far away into the recesses of his mind, the teenager deftly made his way forward - to cross the small distance which separated the two of them...

**... to ask Subaru for his help. **

* * *

The twenty-five year old's green eyes.

The surprise that filled them was indescribable.

Self-doubt and weariness had been recklessly pushed aside, but, Kamui had become attuned to the reality - the aftermath of what had erred forth.

And, as the seconds inched by, was suddenly hit with an ashamedly harsh realization - distinctly, painfully he'd become aware of the quieting atmosphere that had stretched out, abrasively filled the room in lieu of sound.

He knew what it meant... he'd been defeated, weakened by his own foolish longings and most importantly...

_Rejected._

And, the slow downward glance Kamui had given the floor remained uninterrupted. His eyes had fallen on the English book midway - still caught between Subaru's left-hand and Kamui's right - that _touch _- that offending lapse which had brought all this about. And with an overwhelming sense of sadness and shame flooding him in response, Kamui knew he would run from it - the situation - if only temporarily.

As steps lengthend and floorboards execrably filtered into pavement... heart pounding harder and harder…

Kamui could only wonder…

_**Is there anything worse than showing someone you care for them, only for them to say nothing back? **_


End file.
